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Fairview public-safety advisory group debates membership, chair vacancy; minutes approved
Summary
The Public Safety Advisory Committee discussed expanding membership, using subcommittees, and the need to recruit a chair or co-chair to lead the committee. The committee also approved meeting minutes by voice vote.
Members of the Fairview Public Safety Advisory Committee discussed how to increase volunteer participation, the charter limits on committee size, and short-term options such as appointing subcommittees or citizen advisory work groups.
Jenny Weber, council liaison for the public safety committee, read the municipal code language provided to the group: “The municipal code ... shall consist of a total of 8 members — seven of whom are regular members and one member of the city council who shall be a non voting member,” and explained that the charter also allows creation of subcommittees or citizen advisory work groups that would not require a charter change.
Committee members said they want more community participation to cover neighborhood-level preparedness and outreach; several members noted the principal constraint is volunteers’ time rather than lack of interest. The group discussed two immediate alternatives to changing the charter: (1) recruit and appoint additional full committee members through the council process, and (2) create one or more advisory subcommittees or focus groups that can include non‑voting community volunteers to do outreach and checklist development. Staff and liaison guidance emphasized that a formal charter change would require council approval and a clear written justification (why additional appointed members are needed and what tasks they would perform).
The committee also discussed an open leadership need: the chair said she cannot continue in the role because of other obligations and members agreed to raise the vacancy with absent member Kyle and with the council as needed. Several members volunteered to support event tasks and to act as point persons for discrete items if an appointed chair delegates duties.
On procedural business, the committee moved and seconded a motion to approve the prior meeting’s minutes. By voice vote the minutes were approved; no opposition was recorded on the audio record.
